[Eddie G]

I found this floating around cyberspace:

Talking to Your Doctor About Medical Marijuana

Asking your general practitioner to recommend medical marijuana is a good first step toward becoming a medical marijuana patient. Doctors are legally protected from punishment for recommending medical marijuana to patients, so your doctor should be both willing and able to discuss medical marijuana and/or offer a referral to a specialist.

If you suspect that your physician will be reluctant to recommend medical marijuana or to refer you to a specialist, come prepared with research indicating that your medical condition can be effectively treated or mitigated by using cannabis. Be prepared to disclose any current marijuana usage and its effect on your symptoms.

After your doctor agrees to recommend medical marijuana, protect yourself by requesting that this recommendation be made in writing. This will help you defend yourself if you are ever prosecuted for a crime in connection with your use of medical marijuana.

If, however, your usual physician is reluctant to recommend medical marijuana for you, or if you're uncomfortable discussing this matter with your general practitioner, you may wish to see a medical marijuana specialist.

Seeing a Doctor Who Specializes in Medical Marijuana
Medical marijuana doctors who specialize in this particular area are most easily found through referrals from other doctors or patients. If you're not able to find a medical marijuana doctor via personal recommendation, looking online is always an option. Try to focus on reputable online directories and professional websites. Don't answer ads related to marijuana on free classified sites like Craigslist.

Once you've found a medical marijuana specialist, it's your task as a patient to make the most of your appointment. Take the following steps to increase your likelihood of receiving a medical marijuana recommendation from your medical marijuana doctor:

•Bring a copy of your medical records to your first appointment, including any written referrals to the specialist.
•Be prepared to clearly and concisely explain your symptoms and what you hope to gain from using medical marijuana.
•Understand that most medical marijuana doctors issue recommendations only to patients who genuinely need to use medical marijuana. Getting an appointment doesn't mean you'll get a recommendation.
•Have a written list of questions for the specialist, including things like: "How do your other patients acquire their medical marijuana?" and "Do I need to hire a medical marijuana caregiver?"
If you have a qualifying condition like fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, cancer, or glaucoma, any medical marijuana doctor should be able to give you a recommendation. If for any reason you feel uncomfortable with the doctor you've chosen, feel free to thank the doctor for his or her time, exit the office, and look for a different medical marijuana doctor.

I will be having my doctor/patient chat next month. I think it will go well considering he seems very attentive to my needs. He has written me scripts for everything, from anti-depressants to human growth hormone. He's not afraid to try anything, (me neither) He should be open to me needing less Gabapentin, Oxy and NO more Valium & Amrix.